By Blake Jackson
Each summer, up to 45 rising high school seniors across Kentucky participate in the Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL), a five-day leadership conference hosted by the University of Kentucky or Murray State University.
Designed to introduce students to college life, agricultural careers, and leadership development, IFAL provides participants with a transformative experience.
This year, the University of Kentucky’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment welcomed students from throughout the state seeking to explore leadership and career paths in agriculture.
Benjamin Williams, a current student and ambassador at Martin-Gatton CAFE, described how his own IFAL experience profoundly influenced him.
“I saw the countless hours my dad and grandfather put into taking care of the farm ground and animals, but it had never occurred to me at that age how important the work we were doing was,” Williams said.
“IFAL and Kentucky Farm Bureau sparked a passion inside of me to serve others. So many doors have opened for me since IFAL and as a college ambassador, I am now able to help other students have life-changing experiences to see the true value of the agriculture industry.”
For high school student Garrett Zimmerman of Nicholas County, IFAL helped solidify his plans to pursue agricultural education.
“As a prospective student for UK and wanting to go into agriculture education, I wanted to see what UK had to offer,” Zimmerman said. “Throughout IFAL we get to tour a lot of facilities and meet a lot of great people at UK to build those connections before we start college.”
Wayne Centers, director of student relations at Martin-Gatton CAFE, emphasized IFAL’s core mission.
“There are three key mission areas of IFAL telling the story of Kentucky agriculture in a way that bridges where we have been, where we are and where we are going; the call for leadership; and demonstrating that college is a worthy destination,” Centers said.
Students also enjoy team building through events like the Barnyard Olympics, where UK’s Collegiate Farm Bureau (CFB) plays a supportive role.
“Agriculture is a large community and IFAL helped me gain perspective on how I fit into the community,” said CFB member Leslie Monhollen.
Taylor Nash of Kentucky Farm Bureau summed it up best: “When you look at our missions of supporting agriculture on a large-scale, it is not possible without UK and KFB working together.”
Photo Credit: university-of-kentucky
Categories: Kentucky, Education